


as sweet as the sound

by skatzaa



Category: Graceling Realm Series - Kristin Cashore
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Post-Canon, Telepathy, discussions of Adoption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:01:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28114296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skatzaa/pseuds/skatzaa
Summary: It was Hanna who brought it up first.
Relationships: Brigan & Hanna (Graceling Realm), Brigan/Fire (Graceling Realm), Fire & Hanna (Graceling Realm)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 39
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	as sweet as the sound

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ThatAloneOne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatAloneOne/gifts).



> ThatAloneOne: I hope you enjoy! <3
> 
> Title from Hozier's Almost (Sweet Music).

It was Hanna who mentioned it first.

She and Fire were seated by the hearth, dancing with flames though it was barely mid-autumn, as Fire oiled Hanna’s hair and braided it back. Brigan, who had only just returned from a patrol with the First and was meant to leave in two days' time when the Fourth arrived, was seated at the desk in the corner, pouring over the correspondence not pressing enough to forward when he was away. There was a fading bruise on his jaw and unfading circles beneath his eyes, and he radiated a tired sort of contentment despite his task. 

By Fire’s feet, Blotchy twitched his feet in response to a dream. She could reach into his mind and see what he dreamt of, if she wished, but animal minds were strange, their dreams even more so, and she did not wish for a headache tonight.

Hanna’s mind was quiet and sleep heavy as well, pleased to be seated by the fire and to have her hair cared for, and so it surprised Fire when she said, voice clear of any drowsiness, “Will I ever have a little sibling?”

Fire’s hands stilled in her hair and she looked to Brigan, who was as surprised and confused as she, his brow raised, mouth left open slightly.

They’d spoken of it—of course they had, particularly in the months after Liv and Aran had been born—but there was enough to do in their quest to pull the kingdom out of war. Brigan would forever be returning only to leave again, and Fire was needed in the dungeons and the spymasters’ office and the city hospitals. They desperately tried to have at least one of them available for Hanna at all times, and Tessa helped when they fell short of their goal, but they hadn’t wanted to move forward in adopting children until at least one of them was better able to welcome someone new into their strange, exposed family. Hanna deserved better, as did any other child. 

And when Hanna hadn’t expressed an interest—or disinterest—in the two years since Fire joined them here in the greenhouse, they had assumed she was content with the way they were.

Perhaps they had assumed wrong.

_ What shall we tell her? _ Fire asked Brigan, knowing he would have thought of all the things she had. 

His mind was closed to her—it was a rare moment when he let his shields down, even partially, but she knew it was a result of his upbringing and position in the court than out of any distrust of her—but he still had the same control that had impressed her when they met. He wanted to know what she thought was best.

_ The truth, _ Fire replied immediately, though it did not fully answer his question. She paused, then added,  _ though I suppose the truth will depend on why she’s really asking. _

Hanna said, “I know you’re speaking with your minds. Will you not just tell me?”

She had come a long way from the child Fire had first met in a courtyard fight, but she was still stubborn, impatient, and headstrong.

“Our apologies, dear one,” Fire said, and resumed braiding Hanna’s hair. “Why is it you ask?”

Hanna shrugged, careful not to move too much and dislodge Fire’s hands. Fire could only see a small sliver of her face—cheekbone, temple, eyelashes—and she couldn’t judge what she was thinking, either from her expression or her mind. Like father, like daughter.

“I thought—” Here, a flicker of eyelashes as she glanced at Brigan, who laid down his pen. “I don’t know. Aunt Mila is pregnant again, and it made me realize that most of the kids my age have at least one brother or sister.”

From his spot at the desk, Brigan asked, “Do you want a brother or sister?”

Hanna shrugged again, and sunk a little lower against Fire’s knees. 

“I don’t know.” A pause. Fire looked at Brigan, who seemed as helpless as he had when Fire had brought up the subject of monthly bleedings. His light eyes met hers and he tilted his head. 

How she loved him, this brave, selfless prince, who knew when he was not the best suited to a task. She opened the feeling to him, briefly, and received a warm wave of amusement-contentment-love in return. 

Fire finished the braid, tied it off, and stood, coming around to kneel before Hanna and take the girl’s hands in her own. 

“I’ll never have children of my own,” Fire began.

“Because you don’t want any more human monsters,” Hanna said, clearly not a question. 

Fire wondered if Hanna had overheard others talking at court, or if she had pieced it together herself from what she knew of Fire’s history and of Brigan’s. Sayre certainly wouldn’t shy away from the truth of the Dell’s history in her lessons, and neither would Clara or Garan—or Brigan or Fire herself, for that matter. 

“Yes.” Fire looked down at the hands in hers, no longer as small as they once were. “As you know, my powers can cause great harm, and I couldn’t take that risk. No matter how much I would love my child, there’s a chance they could end up like Cansrel, drunk on their power.” A breath. She looked up, held Hanna’s eyes. “Your father and I have discussed adopting other children before, but we haven’t felt as though it’s the right time. And Hanna—I never thought I would have a child. To have you is more than I could have hoped for.”

“Oh.” Hanna dropped her gaze, studying their two sets of hands intently. 

“Hanna,” Brigan said from the desk, then paused. He rose and came to sit with them both, resting one hand on Fire’s back and reaching out with the other to cup Hanna’s cheek. She flicked her eyes up to look at her father, then Fire. Brigan said, “You will always be my daughter, whether we have no more children or a hundred.”

She giggled a little.

Fire said, “And mine, Hanna.”

They had discussed this too, just Brigan and Fire first, then with Hanna as well. Fire wasn’t Rose and never would be, but she could still be Hanna’s mother, if it was what Hanna wanted. And it had been. 

The girl looked at the both of them, fully, her expression set with resolve. It looked remarkably like the face Brigan wore when he was preparing himself for a fight, or another unpleasant conversation with Garan about finances. 

Like father, like daughter indeed. 

“I know,” she said, and Fire could feel the conviction behind it. “But I think I would like a sibling—a little one, though. I want to be able to teach them archery. And only when you’re ready.”

Brigan’s amusement washed over Fire like sunlight. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Fire’s cheek, then Hanna’s brow. He said, “Many children won’t have had the luxury of learning archery, even if they’re older than you.”

Hanna considered this, then shrugged. It was a looser gesture than before, and she smiled.

“Alright. I can teach them too.”

Well, Fire thought, as Brigan went back to his desk and Fire stood to put away the combs and jars of oil, that settled that, then. 

And despite the fact that she didn’t want to hope too fervently, when she came back and sat down in the overstuffed armchair by the hearth and Hanna came and curled into her side, she could already imagine the greenhouse filled with laughter and running feet and pictures drawn for Tessa.

She sent the image to Brigan, who snorted softly over his papers. He thought they would need a bigger house for that. 

Hanna yawned and curled closer, resting her head on Fire’s breast. She told Brigan,  _ I’m sure Nash will allow us to expand, if necessary.  _

More amusement. Then: the careful lowering of his mental walls, and the picture she and Hanna made to him, Hanna falling asleep against Fire’s side, and the love he felt for both of them, the amazement that this was his life, for as long as she would have him.

_ Forever, _ Fire said.  _ If you’ll have me. _

Of course he would have her. The wave of indignation flared, then subsided. 

His mind receded once more behind his carefully constructed walls, but not before he told her that he would love to have as many children as Fire would like. 

She smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Hanna’s head. The girl shifted, and so Fire sent her a wash of love and safety. Hanna settled back into sleep.

Yes, she would like more children. Never in replacement to Hanna, but in addition. 

She cuddled closer and basked in the heat of the fire and the warmth of Brigan and Hanna’s love. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Comments and kudos are always appreciated.


End file.
